
Identifying who defies the status-quo and can make a difference.
Not sure. But making Python experts into C++ experts is a very bad way to go.
A lot of Python developers that hate C++, doing C++ migration and forbidding C++ experts from taking decisions, simply because they don't understand C++.
As many companies, they don't care about you, but about your current pay before making a decision. And HR lies about the real cost of living differences.
Big companies have lot's of "wow", even when the work is not that great. I did an interview were the intervewee asked me about the work and inneduatelly said "of course you love working here". The thing is: Google is prepared to deal with a lot of non-experienced people. Microsoft with experienced.